In brief
The United Nations has reported that Iran carried out at least 901 executions in 2024, marking a concerning rise of 6% compared to 2023. This figure represents the highest number of executions in nine years, with a significant proportion attributable to drug-related offenses. Additionally, the trend has seen a notable increase in the execution of women and individuals associated with protests stemming from civil unrest in 2022. Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief, has condemned the surge in executions and called for an urgent halt and moratorium on the death penalty in Iran.
In December alone, around 40 executions were executed in a single week, driving home the stark reality of the situation. The executions largely correspond to drug-related offenses, although dissenters and individuals linked to the protests have also faced the death penalty. Türk emphasized the incompatibility of the death penalty with the right to life and the potential for wrongful executions, urging Iranian authorities to address this pressing issue.The International Human Rights (IHR) reported that at least 31 women were executed in 2024, the highest recorded rate since monitoring began in 2007. Among these women, cases highlighted include Leila Ghaemi, convicted of murder after a tragic incident, and Parvin Mousavi, executed for her role in drug trafficking under dubious circumstances. Human rights advocates continue to argue that drug offenses ought not to fall under the death penalty's jurisdiction according to international law. A report by Hengaw, focusing on the plight of Kurdish and ethnic minorities, revealed that over half of the executions were linked to these groups, reinforcing a pattern of systemic oppression against dissenters since the 2022 protests ignited. The UN has reiterated the need for Iran to reevaluate its approach to capital punishment, particularly regarding its impact on juvenile offenders, citing documented cases of five executions involving individuals under 18.Notably, Iran accounted for 74% of all recorded executions worldwide in 2023, according to Amnesty International, a statistic that starkly contrasts with the opaque data from China, where thousands of executions reportedly occur but remain classified. Human rights organizations and the international community continue to call for a reevaluation of Iran's policies on capital punishment amidst these alarming trends.
